


A Full Childhood of Memories.

by Madquinn13



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Best Friends, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:00:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22516645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madquinn13/pseuds/Madquinn13
Summary: Collections of ficlets and flashes from Quentin and Julia's friendship.
Relationships: Quentin Coldwater & Julia Wicker
Kudos: 3





	1. First Meeting

Grade one was stressful.  
Quentin didn’t like it, the size was twice as big as his kindergarten class, they had to share their tables with four other kids and Quentin didn’t know anyone at his table.  
It was the first day so they were coloring pictures of animals and at the top they had to write what the animal was. Quentin was coloring in his dog when he heard the girl next to him gasp. He looked over, she had a cat to color. The legs were done and were perfect but he saw at the very tip of the tail a tiny smudge from where the crayon went outside the line. Quentin watched her try to rub the offending smudge off while breaking very fast, fast like how Quentin did when he was being driven to school that day.  
“Its not perfect, it can’t be perfect. Its bad.” The wavy haired girl muttered. When she rubbed so hard the paper riped Quentin heard the whimper and swore it looked like she was about to cry.  
Quentin looked down at his own picture. He had always colored the parts near the lines first and he didn’t have any smudges on or over the line.  
“We can switch.” Quentin spoke up. She turned to look at him completely shocked. “I like cats better anyways.”  
“But its ruined.”  
“I like it like that. My aunt has a cat with a hole on its tail too.” Quentin smiled switching the papers. “I’m Quentin.”  
“I’m Julia.”


	2. Visiting Julia's Dad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quentin takes Julia to visit her dad in a mental hospital.

Quentin had his driver’s licence before Julia. He couldn’t wait to get it while Julia saw it as a distraction from studying. So when Julia found out that her father was moved to  Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital she did the research to find out that if they left from school and she claimed to be staying at Quentin’s house, it was only a half hour drive. She could take a bus and then a train but that changed the travel time to four hours and it was risking her mother finding out too much. So Quentin being the best friend he was offered to beg his dad to let him take the car to school the next day so they could leave straight from school. Of course, he wasn’t going to leave Julia to take a cab and make this daunting visit herself all alone so he might as well drive. 

The next morning when Julia saw Quentin in school she looked pale. 

“If you changed your mind it’s okay.” Quentin tried to be reassuring. 

“No, I need to do it. It’s not like last time when she shoved him in one across the country. I’m just-I don’t know, I don’t want my last memories of him to be the ones I have now.” It was hard to explain, she knew Quentin saw some of the bad moments, of her father screaming his head off at her mother (not that she blamed him) about how she was trying to turn everyone against him. He always had moments like that though, she remembered him sneaking her and Mackenzie to a hospital where his friend work to have him do paternity tests because he was convinced that neither of them were his. Julia was only seven but she remembered it vividly. The last time she saw her father, he was having another episode at home, he was slurring so she just figured he was drunk but he was getting violent, which was new. She was hearing the shatterings of various glass things he was throwing around, her mother, was screaming at him telling him to do them all a favor and just kill himself, but make it look like he just stumbled in the middle of traffic, would be a shame to lose that insurance money. 

Mackenzie called the police after their father started screaming that he would kill himself. 

The last time Julia saw him, he was being restrained to a stretcher by police while paramedics were trying to bandage his wrists.

Thankfully it was a Friday night so she didn’t have to worry about school the next day. 

“Okay well whatever you want to do I’m with you.” Quentin offered her a smile trying to give her some strength. 

“Thanks Q.” 

Quentin looked over at Julia in the passenger seat as he drove them through the state. Julia hadn’t stopped smoking the fifteen minutes so far.

“It’s okay to be nervous. You haven’t seen him for four years.”Quentin offered.

“What if he’s completely drugged? What if he’s just like some kind of empty shell?” 

“Then you at least know and if he is like that then I’ll treat you to ice cream.” Quentin noticed Julia finished her current smoke and going for a new one. “Or a pack of smokes.” 

“I couldn’t do this without you.” 

“Sure you could. I’m sure James would be happy to drive you.” 

“He doesn’t know. He just thinks my parents are divorced. I never told him all the stuff that went down.” 

“It’s just you and me.” 

“Just like the old days.”

“Yeah. Remember when the first time we were allowed to bike to the library alone?” 

“Yeah, you almost had a panic attack from the fact that I took my helmet off as soon as we were out of my parent’s sight.” 

“We agreed to keep them on!” 

“And now look at us. Sneaking across the state.”

“This is different. I’m not breaking the rules. She never said we can’t go visit Daddy, she just never told us where he was.” 

“And you found out this time by?”

“She left a letter open on her desk and the door to her office open so I happened to see it as I looked for a stapler.” Julia was making sure to look anywhere else. She never did well with breaking rules. 

“Jules, it’s not like you to snoop. Usually, Mack will snoop and just tell you.” 

“It wasn’t snooping.” Julia defended herself. “And if it was, it was only because she was complaining about him being moved closer to someone.” 

“I’m not judging. I think its insane that she hasn’t just told you where he is or let you have a chance to talk to him.”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to talk to us. Our number has never changed.”

“When he wasn’t having an episode he was a great dad right?”

“Yeah.”

“And when he wasn’t drunk?” 

“When he wasn’t drunk and when he was alone and Mom was nowhere around he was the best. But that was rare.” Julia sighed looking out the window. “You know I’ve always been jealous of your family right?”

“I know. My parents love you. I think they would rather they had you than me.” 

“Nah, they love you and your brand of crazy.” 

“True my crazy doesn’t involve chain smoking a carton just because my PSAT score was one point from perfect.” 

“It’s not funny. The SATs are going to give me an ulcer.”

“Jules you are the top student in the school maybe the whole state. You’re going to have your pick of schools.” 

“If I don’t fuck up.” Julia muttered leaning against the window watching as the road signs pointing out that the journey was almost over. 

When Quentin parked and turned off the car he looked over at Julia who looked sick. 

“I can go in with you if you want.” 

“Thanks but I think I need to do this alone.” 

“Okay.” Quentin stayed quiet not wanting to make her feel rushed or pressured. It wasn’t until twenty minutes passed that he spoke up. “If you changed your mind its okay. We can go back.”

“I want to go see him. I’m just-”

“I get it. Look visitor hours are on for another five hours. So no rush. If we spend those five hours in the car that’s fine.” Quentin had a long history of seeking help for his own mental and emotional issues but he also knew that as much as Julia tried to seem like she was fine, it wasn’t true. He knew how much anxiety Julia had forced on herself and how much pressure her mother and to a lesser extent her father had placed on her. He knew how upset she was if she wasn’t perfect, it was how they became friends. She had accidentally torn a sheet of paper she was working on and he offered his. Julia joked about how if she didn’t get a perfect score on the SAT or if she didn’t get into certain schools she would have a breakdown but Quentin could see it. He could see how easy it could happen. 

“You’re willing to sit here for five hours for me to get my shit together?” 

“I’ll sit in this car forever if you needed it.” Quentin tried to reassure her. “Try the deep breathing stuff.”

Julia rolled her eyes but picked up a new cigarette, lit it and inhaled deeply, before letting it out slowly. 

“That’s not deep breathing.”

“Its the only one I know that works.” 

After three more smoking deep breaths Julia was out of the car. She had a routine of walking up to the front door, pausing at it for five minutes and rushing back to th car only to repeat herself. 

Quentin knew that she was getting closer, next step she would open the door, maybe even go through it. She might not get in to see him this time. 

Quentin got up out of the car leaning on the hood. 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? I can help you just get inside to the desk.” 

Julia had looked back at him from her spot on the front steps. 

“Please?” 

Quentin nodded pushing off the car and holding out his hand for Julia to take. 

He opened the door followed Julia in wincing slightly at the strength that Julia was squeezing his hand. 

They walked in to the front desk and Julia let go of his hand and ran to the door. 

The receptionist just looked up from her book. 

“I take she’s the one checking in?” 

“No, no her dad is here. She wants to visit him.”

“Seems very caring.” 

Quentin found Julia on the ground leaning against car. Her knees up to her chest. Quentin just sat down next to her. 

“Jules there isn’t a rush.” 

“I know.” 

“I can see if we leave a message for him. Give him your phone number so he can call you.” 

“No. I need to see him in person first.” 

“Okay. Let me know when you want to try again.” 

“Thanks Q. What would I do without you?” 

“Well the nurse thinks you were coming to check yourself in so…”

“There is still time.” 

“I’ll check myself in right after, you won’t be alone.” 

“That’ll look good on our applications.” Julia muttered. 

A half hour later and Julia was with Quentin back in front of the desk. This time Quentin had orders not to let go of Julia’s hand.

“Visiting Dr. Markus Wicker.” Julia’s voice wasn’t close to being as confident as usual. 

“And you are?” The receptionist didn’t even glance up to look at them. 

“His daughter. Julia Wicker.”

“ID?” 

Julia handed over her passport. 

“Okay. Sign here, put on this badge. I’ll get someone to escort you.” She looked over at Quentin. “And you?”

“He’s not coming.” Julia answered for him. 

“Alright. You can take a seat over there unless you want to run out again.” 

Julia hated the smell of the hospital. It was a mix of sterilizer and B.O. She always considered herself a kind person but when someone reeking of B.O. dressed in a robe reached out to touch her she was disgusted. 

What if her father was just like this person?

Finally Julia was lead to what seemed to be a library. She didn’t need someone to point out her father. He looked the same. His hair perfectly trimmed and slicked back. The sides showing the peaking grey hair. He wasn’t in a suit, like he usually was, but he was in a nice cashmire sweater like he wore when they went to the vineyard for vacations. He was sat in an arm chair, book in his hand. 

“Markus you have a visitor.” The orderlie escorting her cleared his throat before speaking. 

“Very funny Louis very funny.” Markus Wicker didn’t look up as he turned the page. 

“Hi Daddy.” Julia gave him a small wave. 

Quentin smiled when he saw Julia walking back into reception. 

“Hey how did it go?” Quentin saw that her eyes were red and puffy, she had been crying.

“I don’t want to ever come back here. Q please remind me that nothing is worth it.”

“Okay.” He promised pulling her into a tight hug. 

During the drive home Julia was quiet, it wasn’t until they were close to Quentin’s house that Julia finally broke the silence. 

“He’s sick. Mom may have talked one of her judge friends to have him committed but he’s sick. He was drinking to cope with his schizophrenia.”

“He’s schizophrenic?” 

“A paranoid schizophrenic. He refuses to take any medication so he won’t be getting out. He had a bad episode and they had to restrain him and drug him. He started showing symptoms when he was twenty seven so I have that to look forward to.” 

“Are you going to tell Mack about the visit?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I mean if she asks? I kind of wish I never visited him. I would have been better thinking it was just Mom being a vindictive bitch.” 

“I’m sorry Jules.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured this bad experience could explain why Quentin didn't tell Julia about checking himself into a hospital.


	3. Reminiscing of Old Tricks

“Are you sure about this?” Quentin asked tightening the strap on the straightjacket around Julia. 

“If they could do it, we can do it.” Julia huffed trying to get a strand of hair out of her face. 

“But what if your mom comes home?” 

“She’ll go to the wine cooler, take a bottle and a glass and go to her office. It’s fine.” 

“What if we get in trouble?”

“Q we won’t get in trouble. We triple checked the math!” Julia looked up at the pulley systems they had installed. 

“But what if you fall?”

“It’s only a second story drop Quentin. I’ll be fine. Just hold the rope tight.”

“But we never did it this high!” 

“I weigh the same hanging from the distance of the monkey bars and the distance from the railing. The camera is set up to record and we will be famous for being the youngest magicians. Who else is doing suspended escape tricks at ten? Not even Jane and Martin could do that.” 

“The Flying Fillorians. We could get shirts made!”

“And jackets!” Julia was half way up the stairs when the front door opened. “Hey Daddy.” 

“Hey sweetie, is your mom home yet?” Mr. Wicker didn’t look up from his blackberry as he entered his home hanging up his coat. 

“No.”

“Okay, did Roza get you both something to eat?” 

“Yeah.”

“Perfect. I have a meeting to prepare for so I’ll be in my office. So keep it down you two. Love you.” He waves his hand for a second in the general direction of the kids before leaving still not looking up from his phone. 

“Will Roza get in trouble if we get hurt?” Quentin felt bad for not thinking of it before. 

“No she’s doing laundry, why would she get in trouble? Dad just saw what we were doing and he had no issues.”

“I don’t think he actually saw what we were doing. He was staring at his phone the whole time.” 

“He’s always on his phone you should see him drive. Now grab the rope and I’ll go climb over the rail.” Julia made her way up while Quentin grabbed the rope as tight as he could. The fact that Julia made it over the rail without the use of her hands or arms was amazing. “Ready?” Quentin asked looking up at her from the ground floor. 

“I’m ready.” Julia pushed herself off the ledge and Quentin used every inch of his body to not let her fall. 

“Remember the trick!” Quentin reminded her watching as flailed around. 

“I know, I know, dislocate my shoulder first.” Julia’s flaying caused her to swing and bounce against the railing. 

“Stay still you’re going all over the place.” 

“I know what I’m doing Quentin. Feel free to start counting how long it takes me to escape and we’ll time you too.” 

“You know I don’t really like heights.” 

“One arm free!” Julia waved it around as proof. “How do I put my shoulder back in place?” 

“I don’t know. I told you this was a bad idea.” 

“Okay both arms are free, now to undo the jacket...pick the lock and AHHHHH!” Julia screamed making Quentin freeze and look up at her in time to see Julia crash land on him. 

“Julia I thought we agreed you and Quentin would keep it quiet?” Mr. Wicker’s voice flooded out of the intercom. 

“Q? Are you okay?” Quentin had heard Julia cry from many different things, this was not the usual everything isn’t perfect cry, it was more like the Quentin you are lying on my hair and pulling it too hard. 

“My arm hurts a lot. Are you okay?” 

“Remember how we wished we could have used a cadaver like they do in med school so we could see what the inside of a human bone looked like?” 

“Yeah?”

“We don’t need a cadaver anymore.” 

“What?!” 

“If you can get I need you to get Roza. I’m pretty sure I am staring at my own tibia.” 

“Mr. Wicker! Mr. Wicker Julia is really hurt!” Quentin started screaming. 

“O mój Boże, w co teraz się weszliście!” Roza rushed into the entryway laundry basket under her arm. “Szczerze mówiąc, będziesz moją śmiercią, Julio.” 

“Przepraszam Roza, chcieliśmy wypróbować nową magiczną sztuczkę.” One of the many pluses to Julia’s parents being as neglectful as they were was that she was pretty fluent in Polish thanks to Roza, who was the family nanny since Mackenzie was born. 

“Is she mad at us?” Quentin looked over at the bloody mess that was his friend.

“I am more worried than mad right now.” Roza explained touching Julia’s leg causing the ten year old to scream. “Wy tu zostaniecie, a ja pójdę wezwać pogotowie. Któregoś dnia twoje przygody zabiją cię.” Roza rushed out of the room the laundry basket left on the floor. 

“Where is she going now?” 

“Calling an ambulance and cruising Christopher Plover. I’m so tired...am I dying?” 

“No keep talking.”

“How mad do you think your parents are going to be?” 

“I could claim I was acting out because of the divorce. Won’t your parents be mad?”

“Mom will be mad because of the bloodstain on the rug, that’s all. Even then she might not care.” 

-

Julia didn’t remember when the paramedics came, or the first few days being in the hospital all she knew was the nurse said Roza stayed the entire time, even on Sunday which was always her day off. Her parents sent flowers. Quentin kept calling for updates and to see if he could visit. 

Julia did find out what color cast Quentin had for his arm, so their casts would match. 

She might always have a metal rod in her leg but it was worth it. 

Her room phone rang and she smiled knowing who it was. 

“Any word on when you can leave?” Quentin was calling all the time since the nurse gave up and just get him the info for her room. 

“Few more days. Next time we do it we need a stop watch and to call the Ripley’s team.” 

“Should there be a next time?” 

“Yeah we know where we made the mistake, next time I’ll tie the rope around myself and not just the jacket. We can’t quit Q.”

“Okay I’ll make a list. See you soon.” 

  
  


_ “That’s how you scarred your leg? A magic trick?” Eliot thought it was adorable and he was so grateful to Julia for the childhood stories of Quentin.  _

_ “Q was awesome with the card tricks I was better at other escape artist stuff.” Julia wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. “That was the last time he was allowed to go to my house after school. Actually...that happened a few days before that nice lady came and asked a bunch of question...I think Ted called CPS on my parents…” _

_ “Well considering that you almost killed yourself and Quentin while your father was home.” _

_ “My parents never had anything to do with us. That’s why they hired Roza. They paid someone to pretend to love their children for them. It’s just how they were.” The pair sat in silence for a few moments before Eliot spoke.  _

_ “So do you know why Quentin was terrified of puppets?”  _

_ “Oh my God that story is the best!”  _


	4. Saviour

“I can’t believe you, it makes the most sense Jules!”   
As much fun as their co-ed dorm was Quentin could do without hearing Julia and James fight.   
“This has been the plan for forever James. It’s not like you’ll never be allowed over.”   
“I don’t see why a third person splitting the cost doesn’t make sense.”   
“Because it is going to be Quentin and my’s apartment. The one we have planned and dreamt of.”   
“What if I promise not to decorate anything outside our bedroom?”   
Quentin was flicking cards one at a time against the wall. He knew how this argument would go. Either he would be a constant third wheel in his own home or James was going to take his spot in his home.   
“We don’t need to be living together yet.”  
“Julia we have been dating for four years! Why can’t I want to live with my girlfriend?”   
“I don’t want to live with you!”   
Quentin lost his hold on the deck and the cards flew everywhere.   
“Why not?”  
“I don’t want to hate you and I’m afraid that if we live together I’ll hate you or you’ll hate me.”   
“I could never hate you. I love you.”  
“I love you too.”  
The only thing worse than hearing Julia and James fight was the silence when he knew they were both in her room.   
When the first few music notes came through the wall he groaned.   
He really regretted introducing Julia to LIGHTS because now that was the artists that was played when she and James were having sex.   
Stupid adorable bisexual Canadian writing great music.


End file.
